Blood Rites

“There are so many better ways to use that comment than on a stupid hamburger commercial,” Jen said in chagrin.

“And she’s back,” Sally teased as she watched life slowly seep back Jen’s eyes, body, and overall demeanor.

"I need to say thank you. You guys saved my life and I just want you to know I love you both and I will be forever grateful," Jacque told them as she wiped a tear from her cheek.

"You would have done the same for either of us, Jac," Sally told her.

"Well, now that you are forever in my debt I will have to think of ways to put your gratitude to good use," Jen teased dryly.

Sally and Jacque both laughed and rolled their eyes at their forever obstinate friend.

Jen looked around the room, noticing that it was just the three of them. “So where is the wolf entourage?” she asked Jacque.

“They all stepped into the hall just before they wheeled you two in. Vasile took a phone call and when he came back he beckoned for everyone, but told me to wait here for ya'll,” Sally explained. “I figure it must be important if it got Fane away from his woman. He has refused to leave the hospital for even a minute since she was brought out of the operating room,” she told Jen.

“For some reason I can’t say I’m surprised her hottie Mcwolf man is glued to her side. She was nearly freaking killed,” Jen exclaimed.

“You did not fare any better.” A gruff voice had them all turning towards the door. Jacque saw Fane push around Decebel to come to her side. It was Decebel who had addressed Jen’s words, and Decebel who stared at Jen like she had grown a extra appendage on her head.

Jen glanced at Jacque and then at Sally, looking for some sort of clue as to what to say, but neither could throw her any bones because they knew about as much as she did about Decebel, and it added up to zero, zilch, and nada.

“Ooookay, and you would be here why?” Jen asked him with obvious confusion

“I’m here to guard you. I mean guard all of you. Not just you, but each one of you at the same time, not alone,” Decebel stumbled along.

“Yeah, I got it, no need to hurt yourself further,” Jen told him sarcastically.

Decebel’s head jerked up to look her in the eyes. Jen saw what she could only describe as hurt. Had her words hurt him? She swallowed and felt a knot forming in her throat at the cold look in his eyes. After several seconds he turned and looked at Fane. “I will be downstairs for a few minutes. The Alpha will be standing guard with Alina.” Without another word or glance back, he strode out of the room.

Everyone in the room let out a deep breath none of them had realized they'd been holding.

“Would one of you yahoos like to explain to me what has his tail in a twist?” Jen asked, looking from person to person, waiting for some plausible explanation.

“Okay, one," Sally said holding a finger up, "we have no clue, he has just been like that since we got to the hospital. And two, did you just say his tail was in a twist?” Sally asked with repressed laughter at her friend.

“If I did it’s only because half my body has been deep fried and I feel like someone beat me with a sledgehammer. So, that said, I am allowed some dumb ass remarks. Lay off, Polly Perfect, or I’ll have M&M’s personalized with your phone number on one side and for a good time on the other,” Jen threatened irritably.

“And she’s back again,” Sally grinned.

Jen flipped her off.

Yep, Jacque thought, we’re going to be okay. Jen’s being a female dog, as she put it, Sally is egging her on, and I’m in the corner staying out of the line of fire laughing my butt off. Things will be back to normal in no time. Jacque looked up at Fane as he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.

“What was that for?” she asked him.

“For every smile I see on your face I will kiss you,” he told her lovingly.

“What do I get for a laugh?” she asked, her voice thick with suggestion.

Fane grinned at her, flashing those amazing dimples. “I don’t think now is the appropriate time to demonstrate that love.”

Jacque thrust out her bottom lip, attempting to pout, which only made Fane grin bigger.

“So what was so interesting in the hall?"

Fane hesitated just long enough for Jacque to wonder if he was being totally honest. He had his thoughts closed off, which also made her wonder what was up.

“It’s nothing big. My father got a call from a pack that is driving through the area, and he likes to make us aware when another pack is about.”

Something in Fane’s nonchalant tone told Jacque that Fane was hiding something. It didn’t make her mad because at this point she knew he was going to try to protect her, even if it was just from a fly wielding a toothpick as a sword. Fane would not leave her unprotected ever again. She had a feeling the number of fights they were going to have in their long lives had just increased exponentially.

"So Jen, how'd it go with your parents once you woke up?" Sally asked. "They were here constantly while you were checked out."

"Oh, it went fine, but I can't handle my mom being all emotional and hovering. You both know I don't do hovering." Jen rolled her eyes.

"Ah, yes, the hovering. Your mom does tend to hover when she is upset," Jacque agreed.

"I wouldn't call it hovering, actually," Sally said thoughtfully. "It's more like full blown nose diving. You almost have to duck for cover when Jen's mom comes at you and she's worried."

"Hence why she is no longer here," Jen acknowledged."It took some convincing, but with a little help from Alina we got her and my dad to think it would be better for them to let me get some rest and unless something is wrong they will come up tomorrow night."

Jen looked at Fane thoughtfully before asking, "Does your mom have some sort of ability to make people do what she wants?"

Fane chuckled but shook his head no. "Not unless she hasn't told me. My mother has always been able to get people to see things from her point of view. My father says it's an art the way she can work people around her. I don't know, you will just have to ask her."

Fane squeezed her hand. "How are you, Luna?"

"Considering I've been burnt to a crisp, my leg crushed like it was run through a blender and glass sprinkled in my skin like I was a cupcake, I'm pretty stinking good," she told him with her lips turned up in a smile that nearly melted his heart.